Research in Motion’s Blackberry devices have been causing all sorts of controversy in the middle-east in recent months with countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE threatening to block all data delivery to the devices.
The reason for this is that the data is filtered therough RIM’s servers, which are outside of those countries (in Canada to be precise) and, thus, are unable to be monitored and filtered by the authorities there. The arguments for these actions range from maintaining obscenity laws to fighting terrorism.
Now it appears that RIM might be showing signs of caving. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that RIM is looking to set up a local data-centre in Saudi Arabia to handle network traffic.
Saudi Arabia’s telecoms watchdog has now said it is extending the deadline on which the Blackberry data services will be blocked by 48-hours to give RIM more time to clarify its plans.
Apparently negotiations are now in the ‘final stages’ as RIM fightes to maintain its place in a market where it already has well over 500,000 users.
We’ll let you know how this turns out.
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I just heard that Saudia Arabia is banning Blackberry services, this would bve huge loss to RIM, isnt RIM doing anything to preserve this in saudia and middle east?